Chemistry, BS

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Required Credit Hours: 38

(including 29 core credit hours)

Major Computing Requirement:

Satisfied by successfully completing required word processing, data and graphical analysis, molecular drawing and modeling, and literature database searching assignments made throughout the core curriculum of the Chemistry major.

Major Writing Requirement:

Consists of writing two papers (each at least 2,000 words) during the junior and senior years. The first paper is written in CHEM 320 , Introduction to Chemical Research, normally during the junior year and requires a grade of C or better; the second is normally completed through CHEM 409W or CHEM 496 for seniors enrolled for research credit but can be written as part of any 400-level Chemistry course with a “W” designation in which the student is concurrently enrolled.

Core Requirements:

29 semester credits of core chemistry courses. These core courses are presented here in a typical schedule of a student intending a major in chemistry.

Year 1

Fall

CHEM 103 - General Chemistry I (3)
CHEM 103L - General Chemistry Laboratory I (1)

Spring

CHEM 206 - Organic Chemistry I (3)
CHEM 206L - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (1)

Year 2

Fall

CHEM 209 - Organic Chemistry II (3) or
CHEM 307 - Organic Chemistry II for Life Sciences (3)
CHEM 353 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (1)

Spring

CHEM 305 - Inorganic and General Chemistry II (3) or
CHEM 308 - General Chemistry II for Life Sciences (3)
CHEM 354 - General Chemistry Laboratory II (1) or
CHEM 356 - Inorganic and Quantitative Laboratory Methods (1)

Year 3

Fall

CHEM 301 - Physical Chemistry (3)
CHEM 391 - Physical Chemistry Laboratory (1)
CHEM 309 - Instrumental Analysis (3)
CHEM 309L - Instrumental Analysis Laboratory (1)

Spring

CHEM 302 - Physical Chemistry (3)
CHEM 392 - Physical Chemistry Laboratory (1)
CHEM 320 - Introduction to Chemical Research (0-1)

Additional Requirements

In the second year, CHEM 209 , CHEM 305 , and CHEM 356 are recommended for students intending to major in chemistry. CHEM 307 and CHEM 308 are recommended for all other science majors, but they also may be used to satisfy the requirements for a major in chemistry in place of CHEM 209 and CHEM 305 , respectively.

Remaining Credit Hours: 9

CHEM 401 - Advanced Physical Chemistry (3)
CHEM 402 - Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (3)
CHEM 403 - Advanced Organic Chemistry (3)
CHEM 404 - Advanced Analytical Chemistry (3)
CHEM 408 - Computational Chemistry (3)
CHEM 411 - Polymer Science I (3)
CHEM 412 - Polymer Science II (3)
CHEM 414 - Biochemistry (3)
CHEM 415 - Advanced Biochemistry (3)
CHEM 457 - Organic Synthesis (3)
CHEM 458 - Organic Spectroscopy (3)

Additional Information:

CHEM 101 , CHEM 101L ,CHEM 150 , CHEM 191 , CHEM 291 , CHEM 409 , CHEM 410 , CHEM 417 , CHEM 460 , CHEM 495 - 496 and CHEM 496 may not be included in the minimum 38, and only six credits can be applied to the degree from CHEM 403 , CHEM 457 , or CHEM 458 . No more than six semester credits in CHEM 409 , CHEM 495 - 496 and CHEM 496 may be applied toward a degree. Credits obtained for CHEM 191 /CHEM 291 cannot be used towards the 120 hour graduation credit minimum. Students may not obtain credit for bothCHEM 305 or CHEM 308 and CHEM 335 . In a typical program, majors will have completed CHEM 103 and the sequence CHEM 206 -CHEM 209 -CHEM 305 or CHEM 206 -CHEM 307 -CHEM 308 plus MATH 111 , MATH 112 , and MATH 212 or MATH 213 , andPHYS 101 / PHYS 101L -PHYS 102 / PHYS 102L before enrolling in CHEM 301 in their junior year (MATH 212 or MATH 213 can be taken concurrently with CHEM 301 if necessary). Credits from required pre-requisite courses in Mathematics and Physics are not applicable toward the minimum requirements for a major in Chemistry. The laboratory courses CHEM 103L , CHEM 206L , CHEM 353 , CHEM 354 or CHEM 356 , CHEM 309L , CHEM 391 and CHEM 392 should be taken concurrently with the appropriate lecture courses. CSCI 141 and MATH 211 are valuable courses and recommended in the general education of a chemist.

The Department of Chemistry offers an accelerated program leading to the B.S. and M.S. degree for qualified students. Students in the graduate portion are typically supported with a tuition scholarship and stipend. Chemistry concentrators may apply for formal admission to the joint program in the second semester of their sophomore year. More information about the Department of Chemistry can be found on our web site at www.wm.edu/chemistry.

American Chemical Society Certification

The department curriculum is accredited by the American Chemical Society. An ACS certified degree in chemistry from William and Mary is awarded if a student’s academic program meets additional course criteria within the minimum 38 credit hours of course work previously described plus a minimum of 3 credits of independent research through CHEM 409 or 6 credits in CHEM 495 - 496 /CHEM 496 . The department currently offers four concentrations leading to ACS certification: chemistry, biochemistry, chemical physics, and polymer chemistry. The specific course requirements for each ACS concentration are summarized below.

ACS Concentrations

Chemistry:

CHEM 414 - Biochemistry (3)
Two additional 400 level courses from the list of Chemistry courses that count towards the 38 credit major requirement.

Biochemistry:

CHEM 414 - Biochemistry (3)
CHEM 415 - Advanced Biochemistry (3)
CHEM 420 - Biochemistry Laboratory (1)
One additional 400 CHEM level course from the list of Chemistry courses that count towards the 38 credit major requirement.

One upper level biology course selected from:

Chemical Physics:

CHEM 401 - Advanced Physical Chemistry (3)
CHEM 414 - Biochemistry (3)
One additional 400 level CHEM course from the list of Chemistry courses that count towards the 38 credit major requirement.
PHYS 201 - Modern Physics (3)
PHYS 208 - Classical Mechanics of Particles and Waves I (4)

One additional course selected from:

Polymer Chemistry:

Research In Chemistry–Summer Fellowship Program

A summer program for chemistry majors affords the opportunity to learn research skills and to apply these skills to a current research problem. Each student is designated a Summer Research Fellow and is associated with and guided by a faculty mentor. This program is supplementary to CHEM 320 , Introduction to Chemical Research, and provides valuable preparation for either CHEM 495 - 496 -CHEM 496 , Honors in Chemistry, or CHEM 409 , Senior Research. Admission to the fellowship program is competitive. Stipends and the opportunity to apply for complimentary campus housing are provided. Opportunities for summer research are also possible for rising sophomores and juniors.

GER Courses and Advanced Placement Options

Chemistry 101 or 103 may be used to fulfill the GER 2A requirement. Chemistry 101 has been designed for non-science majors. Chemistry 103 is for students majoring in a science and for students intending a career in medicine or a related field. Chemistry 101L is the laboratory course associated with Chemistry 101 and Chemistry 103L is the laboratory course associated with Chemistry 103. Either may be used to fulfill the GER 2A laboratory requirement.

Students entering with AP 5 or IB 6 or 7 credit for General Chemistry and planning to major in chemistry are encouraged to take CHEM 335. Students entering with AP or IB credit for only CHEM 103/103L and electing to take CHEM 335 may use this course to satisfy the General Chemistry II requirements (CHEM 305 or 308); however the Chemistry Laboratory II (CHEM 354 or 356) must still be taken.

If a student with an AP score of 5 or an IB score of 6 or 7 elects not to take Chemistry 308, 305 or 335, the chemistry elective credits (Chemistry 3xx) will count as 3 credits for the major or the minor and will count as taking Chemistry 308 for all other programs. If a student takes Chemistry 305 or 335, the chemistry elective credits will count towards general graduation requirements.